Poker Tells
May 10 2008
There are a number of nervous poker players out there that have benefited from the advent of online poker, because by going online they rid themselves of numerous tells given off by their eyes, their hands and other shaking parts of their body.
However, just because you’ve taken your game online does not mean you’ve escaped from all forms of poker tells. Believe it or not there are a number of tells that only exist online, and poker pros have memorized them and can spot them like a science.
The most common poker tells are caused by using the automated checkboxes. For any true beginners that don’t have their online poker glossary next to them, the automated checkboxes are those boxes that appear on your screen after the cards have been dealt and you’re waiting for your turn to act. There’s a box for fold, check, and bet, and this allows you to pick your next move in advance. When you use the checkbox to call or check, it does so right away when it’s your turn to act. This immediate action is what causes the tell, because when you make the move yourself it cannot respond as quickly.
The most common tells are a quick check and a quick call. When a player makes a quick check an experienced player looking for tells will see this as a sign of weakness. The reason is why would a player plan on checking if they had cards worth betting? Unless they’re going for a check-raise or a slow-play, an auto-check almost always means their hand is junk. After picking up this tell you can use it by betting and stealing the pot even if you’re also holding a junk hand. If you know you’re up against a player who looks for tells, you can also use the checkbox to your own advantage the next time you’re planning a check-raise.
On the other side of the coin, a player who makes quick bets or calls usually has a strong hand. It’s not hard to see that anyone who plans on making a bet or calling any bet in advance must have either a great hand or at least a great draw. Whenever you catch a player making a quick call or a quick bet, be cautious because they’re likely holding something big.
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